England (Commonwealth Union) – The new deal between the UK and France has been met with skeptics on all sides, however proponents argue that there is may not completely solve the problem right now as it will take time to see results.
British Home Secretary Suella Braverman inked a deal with Gerald Darmanin, Minister of the Interior in France, on the 14th of November to assist in handling the Channel migrant crisis. Britain will commit £8m ($10.3m) extra a year following the deal signed in Paris.
“We must do everything we can to stop people making these dangerous journeys and crack down on the criminal gangs. This is a global challenge requiring global solutions, and it is in the interests of both the UK and French governments to work together to solve this complex problem,” said Braverman. She further stated that there were no quick fixes, but the new deal will mean they can significantly raise the number of French gendarmes patrolling the beaches in northern France and ensure British and French officers are working together to halt the people smugglers.
The migrant crisis brought about fierce debates in the British Parliament with accusations of delays in processing asylum seekers by the Labour party and Conservatives accusing the opposition of blocking their attempts to resolve the crisis. The arrival of large numbers of Albanians as migrants has been a key focus with many of Britain’s prominent political figure arguing that Albanians are in no way refugees and do not need a safe haven in Britain, further accusing them of being part of criminal gangs.
Over 40,000 migrants have made the crossing of the Channel in makeshift boats to reach the UK so far in 2022, as opposed to 28,526 crossings recorded in the entire year of 2021, according to the latest figures from Britain’s Ministry of Defense.
